As part of his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke of eight beatitudes (Latin for blessings) that each carry a paradox: a call to find joy and hope in the places we would usually associate with suffering or loss.
He begins with:
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 5:3.
The original Greek word used for ‘poor’ in this passage is ptochos, which describes destitution-level poverty. However, Jesus is not referring to financial dearth, a lowly view of oneself, or spiritual weakness. Rather, he is speaking to a right and desperate awareness of our need for God, and encouraging us to take a posture of humility before the only One who can grant us freedom.
‘Poor in spirit’ is the opposite of what we often see in the world today: self-sufficiency and spiritual pride, with many striving to achieve rightness with God by working harder and relying on their own capabilities. Some refuse to acknowledge their need for him at all. Being poor in spirit frees us from endlessly trying to earn God’s gifts of love, salvation, deliverance, and healing, as it is only when we do so that we can truly receive them.
Jesus links this blessing directly to the Kingdom of Heaven, stating not that the poor in spirit will receive it, but that it is theirs—now. While the Kingdom of Heaven includes the future hope of soul salvation at the resurrection, it also speaks to the present blessing of freedom from our sins and a relationship with God. It means that the Holy Spirit dwells with us day-by-day, making us rich in spirit, and includes the active and ever-increasing presence of God as we learn to submit evermore to his will. As the Proverb says:
‘The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.’ Proverbs 10:22.
To be a part of the Kingdom of Heaven is to be adopted into the family of the King, which grants us special privileges that cannot be stripped away by circumstance. Just as a citizen of a kingdom has a rightful claim to the protection, provision, and peace of the ruler, so too do we gain these from God when we come before him in humility.
Jesus begins with this beatitude as it is the foundation for the actions that follow: every subsequent blessing that we’ll explore over the coming days relies on a spirit that has first recognised and accepted its need for God.
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